American Afterlife Podcast: An Audio Drama That Delights The Ears

The death toll from the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24 has risen to 3,342, according to official figures just released. Reuters quoted Venezuela’s Ministry of Information as saying that 16,470 people have been injured and 17,345 displaced by the disaster.

That’s the tragic truth. American Afterlife is the fiction, yet just as powerful.

American Afterlife is a fiction podcast starring Scarlett Estevez and is adapted from the best-selling book by Pedro Hoffmeister. A catastrophic earthquake floods Eugene, Oregon; undocumented teen Cielo stays behind. As she searches for her missing mother, she’s hunted through a broken city overtaken by a right-wing militia. Her journey is told between survival on the run and a military interrogation over a murder she may not have committed. Survival isn’t just escape; it’s trust.

A limited audio drama adapted from the bestselling novel by Pedro Hoffmeister, written by Allyson Dwyer (Arrow of Time) and River Donaghey (VICE News), and starring Scarlett Estevez, known for FOX’s Lucifer, with 4M+ combined social followers. The show received an Apple New Series feature within weeks of launch.

President and CEO of Aurora Productions, William Stuart, approached it exactly like a film: find the IP, hire the writers, cast the series, direct every moment. As he puts it, “Audio podcasts such as American Afterlife are the new pitch material to demonstrate the ‘vertical’ from book to podcast to TV series.” He didn’t theorize about the model. He built it.

William Stuart is a veteran entertainment executive with more than five decades of industry experience, Stuart developed and executive-produced the blockbuster feature The Rock for Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Productions, one of the highest-grossing films of 1996, and later served as Executive Producer of The Ottoman Lieutenant.

Mr. Stuart currently serves as Executive Producer and Director of American Afterlife.

After decades in film and television, William Stuart saw scripted audio as one of the most exciting spaces for storytelling. Podcasts remove many of the creative and financial barriers that come with traditional production, allowing compelling stories to reach audiences much faster while preserving the creator’s original vision.

When Stuart read Pedro Hoffmeister’s American Afterlife trilogy, he believed it had all the elements of a premium screen project, but he also recognized that an immersive audio adaptation could introduce the world and its characters to audiences immediately. Rather than waiting years for a film or television green light, the podcast became a way to prove the story’s appeal through cinematic sound design, strong performances, and a listening experience that encourages audiences to imagine the world for themselves.

According to William Stuart, “The project wasn’t about replacing film or television. It was about embracing a format that lets great storytelling stand on its own while creating a foundation for future adaptations. The rapid success of American Afterlife confirmed my belief that audiences are eager for premium scripted audio when it’s produced with the same level of care and ambition as any major screen production.”

Here’s the summary of the first episode for a taste of the show: “The episode opens with Cielo’s vivid recollections of the earthquake’s devastating impact, painting a haunting picture of total destruction and the immediate panic that ensues. As she navigates the treacherous landscape, listeners are drawn into her emotional turmoil, grappling with trauma and the haunting specter of loss. Cielo’s quest for supplies leads her to encounter other survivors, each carrying their own stories of heartache and resilience. The echo of death lingers in the air, serving as a constant reminder of the fragility of life.

“Amidst the chaos, Cielo crosses paths with Mr. Francois, her French teacher, who finds himself trapped and injured. Their poignant interaction becomes a beacon of hope, illustrating the profound connections that can emerge in times of tragedy. As they share their fears and hopes, the themes of survival and the indomitable human spirit come to life, showcasing the strength that binds us even in our darkest hours.”

The show’s sound design and production is superb, reinforcing the case for the power of audio amid all the kerfuffle over video podcasts. To produce this audio drama in video would cost hundreds of millions of dollars. This audio drama is just as powerful as the frightening CGI images that would have been created in video.

To me, Scarlett Estevez should win the award for best audio drama actor. Maybe an Audie or BBC Audio Drama Award. She’s that good.

I highly recommend American Afterlife. Instead of spending $15 to see a disaster movie in the theater, plus the outrageous cost of candy, popcorn, and soda, download American Afterlife for free and enjoy two hours of the best audio drama that will delight your ears and spark your eyes to see the images described in the show.

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London has been well known as a financial center of the global economy. With the highly successful Podcast Show in May, and now the upcoming Podcast Festival in September, it’s clear that London has also become a hub for podcasting.

The London Podcast Festival has announced a fresh wave of shows for its 11th year, taking place at Kings Place, London’s home of live podcasting, and with some shows available for live-streaming online, from September 3-13, 2026.

The newly confirmed line-up includes Clara & Munroe Are Into It, with broadcaster Clara Amfo and writer, model Munroe Bergdorf; a live recording of The Guardian: Science Weekly; The Final FronTia with drag superstar Tia Kofi; and The Guilty Feminist, hosted by Deborah Frances-White as part of their Road to Gilead Project.

Also added to the program are All British Comedy Explained, Disniversity: Nightmare Before Christmas, and NonCensored. Plus, The Power of a Book, hosted by Rachel Parris with special guests Sophie Duker and Nina Conti, which celebrates the power and joy of reading in childhood. To support their aim to eradicate book poverty in children, King’s Place will be providing a book donation hub so audience members can bring a book to donate in support of The Children’s Book Project.

The popular Audio Drama Day will return with shows from Camlann: An audio drama, Audio Drama Done Quick, An Audience with Madame Magenta (& Bernard) and We Fix Space Junk.

Also returning is the Maker Weekend where there will be a range of high-quality, affordable and professional workshops and classes suitable for anyone interested in the podcasting industry. So far, this year’s include I’ve Started a Podcast, What Now? and How to Start a Podcast, with more to be announced.

New shows join previously announced names including No Such Thing As A Fish, Jameela Jamil, Richard Bacon and Caitlin Moran for the 11th edition of the original podcast festival, returning to Kings Place, London’s home of live podcasting, from September 3-13, 2026

Tickets are now on sale, with prices starting at £11, available here

Eleven years into launching Europe’s first major podcast festival, the London Podcast Festival continues to champion creativity, community, connection and innovation in the global podcasting scene. Podcasting has grown into a cultural force and the London Podcast Festival is where fans come together each year to celebrate, discover, and connect.

This year’s festival will once again occupy all of Kings Place’s versatile spaces — from the main hall to spaces to relax on the canal-side terrace — with selected shows also available globally via livestream. The 2026 program reflects the full range of podcasting’s power to entertain, inspire and bring people together, spanning comedy, gardening, wrestling, film, music, science, disability and deaf-led storytelling, and audio drama.

Curated by Kings Place’s Head of Artistic Planning Rebecca Millican, the 2026 festival continues to reflect podcasting’s remarkable ability to entertain, inspire and bring people together.

Millican says: “We’re thrilled to reveal these brand-new additions to the London Podcast Festival’s 11th year. Every year the line-up grows more diverse, and that’s exactly the point — there’s a community here for every kind of listener, from longtime fans catching their favorite show to newcomers discovering something for the first time. It’s a real joy to watch those communities come together in our halls each September, and we can’t wait to welcome them all back this year.”

Returning fan favorites, fresh new voices and another year of podcasting excellence, The London Podcast Festival 2026 is set to be a celebration of the medium at its very best.

Tickets are on sale now, starting at just £11.

For available tickets and full program details, visit: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/london-podcast-festival/

Follow @londonpodfest on Instagram for all # LondonPodFest-related news. With thanks to the official partners of the London Podcast Festival: The Guardian Podcasts and AudioUK.